If you haven't read #1, #2 or #3, I suggest you do that.
We were exhausted from arriving at Tom's uncle's house at 3:15 a.m. after taking a 3 a.m. stop at our new house. The kids were in their pj's and barefeet. They had never seen their new home before and for that matter, neither had Tom. I had been several times during the summer to check on the progress so I was aware of what it looked like. Whatever neighbors were living in their homes by then and awake that early, were probably wondering what kind of neighbors they had just acquired!! By the time we got to Tom's uncle's house, we were ready to crash. I didn't sleep much that morning. We had to be up early and out the door to get back to the house to do our pre-settle walk through. It was raining and dreary that day just as it is today. Our walk through was a disaster and by the time it was over, I wanted to rip someone's head off for giving me a gas stove instead of the electric one that I ordered. I can't stand cooking with gas and still can't one year later. As a matter of fact, today on our real one year anniversary, I burnt the butter part of my chicken sauce because of the gas stove!! How ironic!
And today would be the day that we actually signed the paperwork and actually owned our home. This would be the nite that my mom and Tom's uncle would bring over some celebratory sparkling cider and would pop the cork and make our first hole in the ceiling. This would be the night, one year ago, that we had two blow up mattresses, one in the master bedroom and one in Olivia's room, and we spent the night without any other furniture.
And here, in this present year, we would commemorate by actually eating dinner in the dining room. My brave sister delivered my dining room hutch and table and after one year, I have set that room up to actually be a dining room and not just a thrown together school room. Notice the chandelier - for one year it has been pinned up to the ceiling and never been let down. This was done by the builders and we haven't touched it until today. Now, it has been released and allowed to function in its role.
I also made sure that this poor clock and shelf got put up on the wall before this day. You see, this poor clock is an heirloom from T's family and the shelf was made by my grandfather and is an heirloom from my family. This poor clock has been sitting on the kitchen counter since it got unpacked from the truck, chiming away and reminding me that it would really like a home. The shelf has been sitting on the half wall between the kitchen and family room since it was unpacked from the box. In this picture it is all the way to the left of me and Jake. We have used it as a place to hang our furry marionettes.
The clock is behind my mom on the left of the picture.
And now, finally, after one entire year, we have brought both of them together to their final resting place in our house.
I should also make mention of the fact that there is now wallpaper border and sponged paint in the kitchen. I made a special effort to get this done before this one year celebration. I have also finished painting the family room and the dining room. I have bought the paint/wallpaper for Jake's room and picked out the colors for Gabi's room. We have also decided on the new bedding for Olivia and will pick out her paint as soon as we get the new set.
So there, another milestone. Another day closer to closure. Closure of the Cleveland chapter. Closure on the rawness of our move one year ago. And a new acceptance of where we are and what we are supposed to be doing here (like I know that yet but am getting a good idea).
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